Cast Iron Burgers Recipe (No need to fire up the grill!) (2024)

FAQs

How to grill hamburgers without burning? ›

If it's too hot, your burgers will burn on the outside and remain raw on the inside. If it's too cold, they'll stick to the grill, dry out and develop an unappetizing gray color. The best approach is to have a hot zone (with more coals) and a cooler zone (with fewer coals) for more indirect heat.

Place patties onto prepared baking sheet then bake for 20-25 minutes or until burgers reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Place a slice of cheese onto each burger patty then return to the oven for 1 minute to let the cheese melt. Transfer cheeseburgers to buns then serve.

Before you start cooking, you'll want to preheat your cast iron skillet on medium-high heat for a few minutes. Once heated, lightly coat the skillet with a high smoke point oil, like vegetable or canola. This helps prevent the patties from sticking and will enhance their sear.

Cast iron and stainless steel are the best choices for getting that beautiful, brown sear. Once the pan is hot, add the meat, and use a spatula to break it up into pieces. Let the meat brown without touching for about five minutes. This gives the meat more contact with the pan, and thus, a better sear.

Grill the burgers, covered, over medium heat until a thermometer reads 160°, five to six minutes on each side. Editor's Tip: Thinner patties will cook more quickly than thicker patties, so use a digital thermometer to monitor the exact temperature of the burger.

Shape the mixture into 4 patties, each about 3/4-inch thick. Place the patties on the grill grid. Grill directly over the heat for 5 to 7 minutes per side for medium, or less for rare or medium rare. Just before the burgers are finished, toast the buns on the edges of the grill.

Place the burgers on the hot grill and cook for 3-5 minutes to sear on the bottom. Flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes on the other side, until you reach your desired degree of doneness. Plan on 5-6 minutes total for rare, 6-7 minutes total for medium-rare, 8-9 minutes total for medium, and 9+ minutes for well-done.

The best and most delicious crust on any kind of beef is achieved with an iron skillet, because of the direct contact with the surface. If you don't agree, you don't know how to handle an iron skillet properly.

Because cast iron retains heat much better than other types of cookware, you generally don't need to use as high of a heat setting as you normally would with stainless steel or aluminum cookware. Another reason food sticks is that it's not being cooked with enough oil.

Step 2: Add about a teaspoon of vegetable oil to the cast iron skillet, and preheat over high heat until the oil just starts to smoke (the smoke point of vegetable oil is about 400-450°F [204-232°C]). Some like to preheat their skillet in a 350-400°F (177-204°C) oven for 30 minutes prior to making burgers.

Do you heat up a cast iron burger press? ›

You could also (carefully) preheat the Grill Press on a heat source (handle side up, of course!) for a few minutes before using it. This ensures your food is weighed down and has heat applied on both sides.

Dry Thoroughly: After washing, dry the cast iron press immediately and completely to prevent rusting. You can place it on the stove over low heat to ensure all moisture evaporates. Re-Season as Needed: Over time, the seasoning on your cast iron press may wear down with use.